Vampire Academy Coming to the Big Screen

Preger Entertainment has acquired the film rights to Richelle Mead’s New York Times best-selling book series “Vampire Academy” (Penguin/Razorbill Books). In its first week of publication, “Spirit Bound,” the fifth book in this series, achieved a New York Times and USA Today #1 best-selling series ranking, while simultaneously debuting as the #1 best-seller in Australia and New Zealand.

The “Vampire Academy” book series is a coming-of-age, action driven, “paranormal romance” fantasy. It is set in the present day against a hidden universe of vampires, half-humans, alchemy, and magic. The series centers on a strong, yet flawed, 17-year-old female who confronts her world with grit, determination, and lots of moxie. Rose Hathaway is a dhampir, half human/half vampire and guardian of the Moroi, a race of peaceful and magical mortal vampires who can walk in the daylight, survive by feeding off willing blood donors, grow old and die. Hidden deep in the forests of Montana is St. Vladimir’s Academy, where Moroi and dhampirs learn to take their place in Moroi society. Rose must master her inherited abilities as a dhampir and earn the approval of the Royal Council, as guardian to Princess Lissa, her best friend and sole heir of one of the twelve Royal families of Moroi. Rose and Lissa share a mysterious psychic bond and sense of destiny, but first they must survive an intense social scene, politics and the physical challenges of Moroi life at the Academy. Outside the sanctuary of St. Vladimir’s waits their greatest threat of all, the Strigoi, a race of bloodthirsty immortal vampires and predators of the Moroi.

“This spontaneous viral event has exploded all across the internet,” comments Preger. “Finding an epic story like this for adaptation is one thing, but to then discover this mass market audience, that’s growing exponentially, who are eagerly awaiting — even demanding — a film be produced, is something very compelling.”

The “Vampire Academy” series has sold well over 3.5 million copies domestically and 1 million copies internationally. It has now been published in 34 countries including the United Kingdom and Australia. The sixth and final book of the series is scheduled for release in December 2010. Based upon the series worldwide acclaim and success, Penguin/Razorbill has ordered a spin-off series scheduled to begin in 2011, continuing the series into the coming decade.